Commemorating the 10th anniversary of Tommyknocker Brewery, this special brew is meticulously crafted with pure maple syrup, the highest quality chocolate and crystal malts and is accented with the finest blend of European and American hops. Imperial Nut Brown Ale, at 9.8% alcohol by volume, is a bigger, bolder version of their Maple Nut Brown.

More User Reviews:

On tap at Tyler's Taproom in Durham.Poured into a standard pint glass a deep ruddy brown with a thinner off white head,aromas are a mix of brown sugar/molasses and and as others have noted some maple syrup.Flavors are quite sweet upfront that molasses and brown sugar is big along with maple syrup not really any hop drying here.Its ok but a little to sweet for my taste,would likey be a good beer paired with a chocolate dessert.

Poured into a snifter, with a half inch head that all but disappears in seconds. Very dark, mostly opaque body, a shade browner than black, with a touch of red at the edges when held to light.

Aroma is of dark crystal malts, maple syrup and brown sugar, slightly buttery, and very sweet and full. Some earthy hops in there as well.

This beer is full flavored as well, reminiscent of a Russian Imperial Stout in body, but with a lighter estery flavor. Very oily mouthfeel, yet acidic, with a sharp alcoholic bite on the throat and up the nose. Maple syrup adds a nice subtle sweetness.

This is a huge beer and very little like a typical Nut Brown Ale, at least the ones I've tasted; much fuller and stronger. I'd recommend it especially as a winter warmer.

To commemorate 10 years of brewing, Tommyknocker took their Maple Nut Brown Ale and amped it up. It's brewed with pure maple syrup, chocolate and crystal malts, and spiced with a blend of American and Euro hops. The final result weighs in at 9.8-percent alcohol by volume (abv).

Quick to foam, the tiny bubbled head stays together for a good while. Color is a few shades from black, sporting ruby edges in the light. Big aroma of buttery toffee, hint of cake batter, maple, toasted bread and raisins as well. Full creamy mouthfeel, with some smoothness from the mild carbonation. Supersized malt character here with flavors of buttery toffee, milk chocolate, maple syrup, brown sugar, mild espresso and brownies. Hops are on the back burner but come to life quickly with some balancing bitterness; the alcohol is warming and helps to balance with a spicy warmth, yet compliments the malt with dried plum and raisin flavors. Sweet finish of sugary dark malts, but it's never cloying.

Though the "nut" gets lost in the massive complexities of this beer ... wow, what a killer malt bomb this is! Very drinkable, but it's a sipper, and a great pick for pairing with chocolates or a bowl of warm, spiced / spicy mixed nuts. This would no doubt be a fine match to a robust cigar, too.

First sip is sweet dark malts with a bit of an odd dark fruit twang. Somewhat nutty and roasty with a slickness. Maple syrup accents are there along with a bit of heat. Too sweet for me overall. I'd pass on this one again.

Medium body and a bit slick....not much else to say. Overall, not a huge fan of this. Too sweet and a bit boozy. Just seems off kilter to me.

Ruby brown in color with good light tan head, good lacing, and a thick collar. Aroma is dark molasses, nutty and earthy. Taste follows pretty much identically. Mild hop bitterness in this one. Medium-light body and medium carbonation. Definitely my favorite of the three beers I had at the brewery.

Pours a dark brown with a slight reddish hue. Decent head and retention. Smells of sweet malts, maple syrup, candy, and slight alcohol vapors. Taste is very sweet maple syrupy, extremely nutty, caramel, slight chocolate, molasses, and a definite alcohol warming. Very pleasant and delicious. Mouthfeel is pretty heavy and smooth, decent carbonation, slick. As far as drinkability, it;s got a high ABV%, but I can easily take down a bomber of this with no problem, despite it being so sweet. A definite pleasure from Tommyknocker.

I like strong beer and this is strong stuff, Bomber bottle, w/o freshness indication, gold foil covers the cap, pours dark brown with a tan frothy head. Nose is of sweetness, this is a fairly sweet brew, maple notes obvious, also some vanilla, honey and minimal hopping noted. Not my favorite type of brew, but this would be nice for after dinner sipping or with a nutty desert.

I found myself craving a malty brew while at Sunset Grill a few days before the American Craft Beer Fest. I asked Jason what he recommended and he pointed me in the direction of this sweet nectar. Thanks Jason!

At some point my tastes changed and I fell from the ranks of the hop heads and found myself loving all beers of a malty persuasion. If you find yourself in that category find this tasty treat and enjoy.

My glass was full of deep, dark brown goodness. Smells of malt, syrup, toffee maybe? Very sweet and smooth, and if I wasn't driving I would have ordered several more. Very easy to drink despite the 9.8% abv.

I'd be hard pressed to find a malty brew I enjoyed more than this offering from Tommyknocker. I've since been back to Sunset and had another glass, and also tried it at the American Craft Beer Fest.

Drinkability: I am impressed by this brew. A very interesting , new style they created. If one is worried by the name that is may be too sweet , dont. It's not at all. Sweet yes , but balanced very well. And the alcohol is virtually completly masked. If you like Impy stouts , give this neat brown brew a try.

Poured dark brown with a large off white head. Very little lacing. Smell is very much of roasted malts and maple syrup. The taste is a Malt Wallop. Roasted malts up front with a strange/good flavor in the middle. Hop twinge at the end. I really can't find the maple syrup in the flavor like I can in the smell. But the mouthfeel is kinda thick for a brown. Alchol is very evident throughout. This might be better after mellowing a little.

Clocks in at 9.8% abv, appears a deep mahogany brown with ruby highlights when held up to the light big tan head after a vigorous pour, leaves behind even streaks of lacing down my pint glass. Aroma has some vinous layers in addition to sweet maple syrup I'm also getting some sweet ginger bread presence and some tart dark fruits soaked in some alcohol. Also some milk chocolate creamy malt layers are present with minimal pine notes with some oak aging like tones. Flavor has some overtly sweet cloying moments, like the whole maple syrup addition to a brown ale in the first place. After sweetness dissipates a tobacco leaf pine layer of hops moves in with dark chocolate bitterness and some alcohol presence. I'm also getting some of that soy sauce salty quality in there as well Mouthfeel is a bit thin compared to what I was expecting the syrup additions doesn't add any cloying properties and the beer is actually medium bodied with some soft carbonation. Easy to drink but as whole I'm no sold, this brew just doesn't do it for me too many competing flavors without cohesion. A bit of a mess and you'll realize that fact in a couple sips something I will never really crave again, although they managed to get some hop presence into an imperial Brown Ale with maple syrup seems impressive enough to me.

A: Dark brown and hazy. Some sediment at the bottom of the bottle was included (intentionally) in the pour. Only enough head to cover the top despite a rather vigorous pour. The tiny head does have decent retention and leaves some lacing.

S: Sweet and rich with a hint of maple. Roasted malt with a bit of spiciness, dates and other dark fruits.

T: Fruitier than the aroma suggests, and with a stronger flavor. Hints of raisins, dates and toffee. Excellent sweet/bitter balance for this flavor profile.

O: Very nice, and rather fruity, maple brown. High ABV is well hidden, although it did produce warming on the way down. I was too impatient and didn't let this warm up properly before starting to imbibe -- don't make the same mistake: this beer really opens up above ~ 45F.{revised July 2013}

(Served in a tulip glass)the numbers 2 and 9 are punched on the side of the bottleA- This beer has a black body that is dense and a thick creamy head that last and last. There are strands of tiny bubbles that support the head.

S- This beer has a soft toasted brown malt flavor with a dark toffee note to it.

T- The soft caramel sweetness is followed by a light brown sugar note a and a coffee malt hint at the finish.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a no alcohol heat at all.

D-This beer is pretty light in flavor and aroma and is hard to believe that this is imperial. The whole beer is a bit bland and uneventful.

Pours a dark tea/cola brown with a ivory head that disappears almost immediately.Aroma of maple syrup, molasses and fresh bread.Tastes of dark fruit(maybe raisin and plum)with a slight licorice/anise taste.Has a soft almost slicky mouth feel with light, tight carbonation. Although this is a strong ale with 9.80%, the alcohol is not prominate.A very tasty brew, But, be careful, it will sneak up on you.